Terahertz Attenuation in Snow and Sleet

The attenuation of terahertz (THz) radiation by snow aggregates and sleet is theoretically investigated using the Mie theory approach for electromagnetic radiation. Differences in attenuation spectra between rain, sleet, and dry snow are identified, and the difficulty of measuring THz attenuation by dry snow aggregates is highlighted and discussed in detail. At lower THz frequencies (~ 0–0.4 THz), it is suggested that water vapor may be the leading attenuator for instances of dry snowfall. A comparison between theoretical predictions and recent measurements is presented.